Fanshawe

I can't imagine anyone today reading this were it not this was by Nathaniel Hawthorne, who'd later write such classics as The Scarlet Letter and The House of Seven Gables. Note, that came later. When he wrote this he was barely out of college, he published it anonymously, then later would try to destroy every copy in existence. I'm not sorry he didn't succeed. I can imagine this, his first novel, is a goldmine for scholars of American literature.

And it's not really burn-worthy. I can see glimmers of the genius he'd later display in his novels and short stories. I first saw that in the confrontation between "the Angler" and Hugh Crombie: "Your good resolutions were always like cobwebs, and your evil habits like five-inch cables." Great show more line--and I can see some of the classic Hawthorne themes here concerning good and evil and redemption. But oh, the melodrama! And Ellen Langton is no Hester Prynne, but a rather dull, insipid, damsel-in-distress. There's also far too much tell, not show here--Hawthorne would get much, much better. I find I do enjoy even Jane Austen's Juvenalia--I think because she's my crack--there's something about her wit, her humor, that just tickles me. I think you need to feel about Hawthorne the way I do about Austen to really, really relish this novel and rate it highly. If for some weird reason this is your introduction to Hawthorne--please don't judge him by it. He would be appalled if you did. He's one of the true greats of American literature--but you wouldn't guess that on this basis. It took decades more of maturity to create The Scarlet Letter. show less

So this is my first review here on LibraryThing. Agh! The intimidation! Anyway, this is a delightful little work - I shall attempt to do it justice.

Fanshawe tells the story of the virginal, innocent, and blameless Ellen Langton - an orphan of avarice - a lovely young woman stranded in a small New England college town in the 1700's after her father has "'set his heart to gather gold'" and "to this absorbing passion...sacrificed his domestic happiness." So poor Ellen ends up staying with the head of Harley College - a small (single-sex, male) college located in a "retired corner of one of the New-England States."

The novel derives its name from one of our sweet, innocent, [frivolous] maiden's two suitors. Suitor #1, Edward, is a total show more B.M.O.C - not the most studious young lad, but wealthy and presumably exciting in that ever-thrilling Colonial American way. Suitor #2 is none other but the young and intensely studious Fanshawe.

Cutting to the chase...a surly, dark, mysterious man shows up in the area and wastes no time before attempting to get awfully friendly with Ellen in front of Edward and Fanshawe before going so far as to solicit her company in private.

Racy, eh? Alas, not so much...but there is still a engaging reading experience here, especially if you add in healthy doses of each of the following:
a conveniently timed/placed funeral, the bumbling incompetance of Edward (from whom one might reasonably expect considerably more gusto) and the head of the college (the stereotypical Bumbling Old Academic type from whom one cannot reasonably expect much - if anything), alcohol-induced antics, the threat of a dual, bar-trashing, Ellen's willingness to sit crouched in a cave of her own accord longer than would many a sedated ape, and Fanshawe's victory over the sinister villain with the help of his old sidekick, Gravity...and yeah...you've got Fanshawe.

It's delightful for what it is. If you dig Early American stuff, it is highly likely that you will dig this. It's great in the vein of Melville's Pierre! - if you don't know what I mean, you may be bored with Fanshawe...you may find it overly simplistic or even a pain in the unmentionables.

Oh, one last thing...if you are a single grad student, Fanshawe's predicament may speak loud and clear to you. I highly, highly, highly recommend you kill an afternoon when you should be reading for class reading this book. You, my fellow aspiring monastic-types will not be disappointed! show less

I'm not sorry I read it (particularly because it's quite short), but it just didn't do a dang thing for me. The characters felt stilted and cliche and the plot was nothing new either.

Hawthorne's first novel-meh, he still had a lot to learn.